What is your view on strategy guides? I don't have many of them (the official one for Fable and one of the FF games, the ones that came with Super Metroid, Mystic Quest and Illusion Of Time and in unofficial one for Champions Of Norrath) but I've noticed that I tend to lean on them way too much when I play a game. The older I get the less patience I have to look around for secrets myself when I'm stuck in a game. I really thinkg this is a shame but still I go online very fast to use a walkthrough when I have problems with a game. Besides that some guides are very well done with lots of pictures and other extras, so it's still a bit tempting to buy one.

What about you, do you buy guides or at least use the online walkthroughs or are you more the type that wants to beat the game by their own? Or do you even collect guides? I heard that their value goes up with time. And which guide is the nicest for you?